Improvement in branding-stamps



\ anumber to denote the width or quality.

UNITED STATES- PA ENT v OFFICE. 7

J. WESLEY DODGE, on MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHOE- MACHINERY MANUFAGTURINGCOMPANY OF connnorronr.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRANDlNG-STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,710, dated March 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, J. WESLEY DODGE, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Brandin g-Stamp and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawing which accompanies and forms part of thisspecification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the artto practice it.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is to some extent customary to brand the linings of all of those to go into one case with a number to be given to the case, with a letter to denote to what certain numbers refer, and with All the b0ots or shoes to go into the same case have the same case-number and the same letter marked upon them; but the other number expressing the width or quality varies in accordance with the width or quality of the particular boot or shoe. My invention relates particularly to the construction of a brand or stamp for this marking. p

In my constructionI use a handle, from which project two prongs that hold a cross bolt or pin, upon which is mounted a metal wheel carrying peripheral numbers, each number being on the end of aslight projection from the rim .of the wheel. These numbers or projections are equidistant, and run from 1 to 18, or to embrace any desired numbers, and the wheel, being so mounted as to rotate freely, has provision for looking it in position for each numher. At the end of each of the two prongs between which the wheel turns is a type-receiving socket or box, one of which sockets receives the case-number types, and the other the letter which refers to the wheel-numbers, and between the two is the number on the wheel, the sockets beingso made that the faces Figures 1 and 2 show the tool in elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan or end view of the tool.

a denotes the handle, into which is driven a shank, from the head I) of which extend two arms or prongs, c (1, between which is the wheel e, mounted upon a pin, f, that extends through the prongs c d. Upon the edge. of the wheel are the numbers 1, 2, 3, &c., and in one face of the wheel are notches h, into either of which a lock-pin, g, enters to hold the number diametrically opposite thereto in place, this pin being pressed forward into the notch by a spring, 42, and being pressed back to unlock the wheel by pressure of the hand against a pin, 70. At the end of each prong 0 dis the socket or box I or m, in which is placed the letter-type n, fastened by a screw, 0, or the case-number types 19 fastened by the screw q, the screws enabling the types to be fastened so that their faces and the faces of the wheeltype are in the same plane to brand or stamp the boot or shoe. The wheel -numbers are changed by rotative movement of the wheel and the boxed types by starting the screws and replacing the types, and the tool readily answers to mark all the boots or shoes for a case without other change than to turn the wheel. For half-numbers, one movable type, r, is used, this type having the fraction on its marking-face, and its shank slipping into a notch, 8, made at the side of each type of the wheel, and having a locking-notch, t, that slips over the rim u, the type being confined by the inner face of thebox m, this single type thus answering for all of the numbers, or whenever a fraction is needed for either of them.

Of course, the tool thus made may be used with other types and for other stamps.

I claim In combination with the recessed wheel 0, the movable fraction or auxiliary type 1", applied to the wheel, and locked and confined in place substantially as described.

Executed January 15, A. D. 1873.

Witnesses: J. WESLEY DODGE.

FRANCIS GOULD, M. W. FROTHINGHAM. 

